Northwestern bolstered its interior defensive line today when three-star defensive tackle Jake Saunders committed to the Wildcats.
Story: Cats land Ohio DT
Story: Cats land Ohio DT
3-star Ohio DT Jake Saunders commits to NU
- Thread starter lou v
- Start date
Very good commitment. He already packs 285 on his frame and will only get bigger and strong at NU. Nice to get someone who had a Wisconsin offer as well. Welcome!
Very true. This is the fourth 2016 commit who chose NU over Wisco, and you have to the think that the Katy triplets could be the fifth, sixth, and maybe even seventh.
Congrats to Jake! Welcome aboard!
I really like his junior film. He shows great ability to use his hands to stay clear of blocks and flow to the ball. He also has a quick first step and nice straight-line burst. He moves very well for such a big kid (listed at 280). He looks like someone who could contribute early in his Cat career.
I really like his junior film. He shows great ability to use his hands to stay clear of blocks and flow to the ball. He also has a quick first step and nice straight-line burst. He moves very well for such a big kid (listed at 280). He looks like someone who could contribute early in his Cat career.
When you include Jango, Saunders' commitment takes us to 5 of our 13 commitments from the state of Ohio. Clearly Ohio continues to be our most important recruiting territory on par or perhaps more important than even our home state of Illinois.
Not only that, but these commits are ranked in the top 5 of their positions in Ohio. Very encouraging.
Seems pretty obvious that OH is much deeper in HS football talent. Chicago is great for HS basketball, but it's relatively lean for football recruiting. I think that in a typical year, IL produces about 25 kids who are Power 5 players, pretty similar to what comes out of Missouri. I think NU is lucky to find 3 good players in IL each year.
They have as many blue chip players as the rest of the BIG footprint does combined. dOSU cannot take them all.
Clearly Ohio is more of a football state than Illinois but I think you are underestimating the strength of HS football in Illinois. While this year's class is lacking super elite talent, I think there will be easily 60 or so D1 signees in the state. Just ask MIchigan State what they think of High school football in Illinois. Fitz has always stated that recruiting begins and ends for NU in Chicago. We are typically signing 4-5 kids from the area every year but this year the number of local kids with the academic profile to receive an offer from NU is down. The only point I was making is that Ohio always seems to be our most important recruiting area outside of Illinois but this year it is obviously taking on a much larger significance.
I think you get to 50-60 kids if you include the MAC and other mid-majors. For Power 5 schools, the haul seems to be about 25-30 kids per year, with the vast majority going to the B1G. The pool available to NU is obviously much thinner.
I don't think he's a sleeper at all -- he's always been identified as one of the top DL in Ohio. He just chose not to do much media.
FWIW, Scout and 247 have him as the #1 DT in Ohio. I'd say that's pretty good. But the Ohio DT pool isn't very deep.
As a native Ohioan, I thought the same thing. But there are only 4 young men in the national databases that appear they will get a Power 5 offer this season, Saunders, Kordell Looney (Kentucky), Jeffery Pooler (Maryland) and Antonio Shelton (Toledo offer, Illinois interest). I don't know about you, but I'd love to have a DT named Looney on my team!
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I too have noticed the large number of recruits deciding between Willy and Bucky and how many of these "battles" we are winning. Very good news, indeed. A big welcome to Jake!
Are you saying 247's rating of Saunders dropped after his commitment? I didn't notice any change, but it's not like I studt them.
It's great to be a recruiting peer of a program like Wisconsin. But personally I derive more pleasure from the schadenfreude of having recruits choose NU over Arcola's Big Ten Team!
Jango is rated #2 OLB in Florida by 247. Also Scout has him there also. Rivals has him ranked lowest of the 3 services
Quite an accomplishment. How the #2 OLB in one of the 3 best football states isn't a 4* is beyond me.
Scout and 247 both have him as a very high 3*, Rivals has him as a mid 3* I believe both Scout and 247 will move him to a 4* soon. Look at his Junior film. His Lebanon team made him contain the edge, so he wasn't allowed to make plays. Then look at his Spring ball film, he is making plays with his new team all over the field against the best recruits in the country. He also had a great showing at Sound Mind Sound Body. Both Scout and 247 have adjusted Jango ranking and have been told by both he will be moving up in the rankings again.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1635128/jango-glackin
Mr Jango- what are the main area's you son is looking to improve on in 2015? The spring ball film shows him in a lot more coverage than his junior tape. I thought HS was a little bigger than 205. In the 215 range. Are timed speeds accurate?
Jango was not used well or Coached well at Lebanon. He was the first BCS offered kid from Lebanon in 16 years. He hopes to become a better player from better coaches, teammates, and competition. Jango has always been very fast. He ran his Sophomore year for over 12 yards a carry. His Junior year he was given the ball one time for 12 yards. Also, he was made to contain from the outside in. He wasn't allowed to make plays at Lebanon. It definitely hurt his film and his recruiting. He received 8 offers at Camps, no offers while at Lebanon, and 8 offers at IMG Academy.
Jango hopes to learn the game better. He wants to get bigger and stronger without losing speed. He did weigh more at Lebanon. IMG has leaned him out a bit due to the grind academically and athletically. Jango is adjusting and gaining muscle.
Jango's times are legit. He runs sub 4 pro abilities, 4.5 forties, 6.86 L cone, and 37 vertical. He just ran a 4.52 laser forty. Rivals has only written 16 articles on Jango. 247 has close to 100 and Scout around 50. His Sophomore year he ran a 4.58 and sub 4.1 pro agility and was named All Best of Midwest team. He beat out every linebacker there including Nick Connor, however Nick was given MVP. Scout and 247 did articles on Jango at that combine. Rivals still has Jango's sophomore picture from BOTM as his profile picture. Jango just attended Sound Mind Sound Body where both 247 and Scout picked him as a standout backer because of his speed and athleticism.
http://247sports.com/Article/Best-Of-The-Midwest-Combine-All-Combine-Team-177906
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Totally off topic, but when we played Miami the fall after Coach Walker died, my wife and I stayed at a Bed and Breakfast in Lebanon and just really enjoyed the place. It was attached to a furniture shop in an area with several Victorian homes that were very well/faithfully restored. Too bad Jango had to go elsewhere for elite coaching. Seemed like a great little town.
I am still here and it is still home to him. He is here till July 19 and he visits every month. Lebanon is a beautiful town.
Great player, great young man, great family. Was very happy to see him commit to NU.
